Reusable medical devices called duodenoscopes are the
culprits in the recent rash of hospital patients diagnosed with medical experts
call the “Superbug”. Health Briefs TV examines what they are and reviews
guidelines for their usage.
Duodenoscopes are the flexible tubes fitted with tiny lights
and advanced cameras used to diagnose or treat disorders of the
gastrointestinal tract. Roughly 500,000 procedures a year in the United States
alone take place using this piece of medical equipment. The scopes are inserted down a patient’s
throat so the physician can get perfect view.
When done, the scopes are put in a device which sterilizes them. This is the health industry standard for
ensuring reusable medical equipment is clean and sterile.
There have been several cases from hospitals in the country
which reported that the standard way to sterilize equipment is not doing the
job. Medical professionals have suggested, and some are using alternative
methods of ensuring equipment is safe to reuse. These methods utilize ethylene-oxide
sterilization and swabbing the equipment after each use to collect any
pathogens left on them. They expensive ways to clean the equipment, but have
reduced the number of patients infected with pathogens and bacteria from “almost
clean” devices.
The Health Briefs TV show notes that patient health and safety
should come before expense. When patients become very ill after reusable
medical equipment is employed again, the cost of treating one patient can be
quite hefty. Prevention is always the
best way to work and more so in a health care setting.
